
5" 



.5" 



5" 



5 



r 



x 



35 (J 



PRICE, 35 CEJNT&. 



J E 515 

I 5 

feth 

JCopy 2 



HISTORY 



COMPANY E 



SIXTH MINNESOTA REGIMENT 



OF VOLUNTEER INFANTRY 



ALFRED J. HILL. 



WITH AN APPENDIX BY 

CAPT. CHARLES J. STEES. 



¥ 



PUBLISHED BY 






PROF. T. H. LEWIS. 



St. Paul, Minn.: 

"ioneer Press Co. 

1899. 






V 



,\ 




\ ■» 



HISTORY 



COMPANY E 



SIXTH MINNESOTA REGIMENT 

OF VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 



ALFRED J. HILL. 



WITH AN APPENDIX BY 

CAPT. CHARLES J. STEES. 



PUBLISHED BY 



PROF. T. H. LEWIS. 



St. Paul, Minn.: 

Pioneer Press Co. 

1899. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1899, by 

Prof. T. H. Lewis, 

» 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



All Rights Reserved. 



'0 COf»|g£ 






PREFACE. 

It will be remembered by those connected with the military serv- 
ice that, towards the end of the late Civil War, there went through 
the camps and barracks of the volunteer soldiers agents of publish- 
ing houses busily engaged in procuring material for "company his- 
tories," and still more anxiously soliciting subscriptions for the 
same. These histories were mere broadsides or charts, giving the 
name and rank of each man, with a few other personal facts, com- 
piled from the muster rolls, and in addition an abstract of campaign 
movements, battles, and so forth; all the information being brought 
up to date of subscription. Of course as permanent and final 
records such publications would be failures, there being no "next" 
in which to "conclude" their stories. 

While the Sixth Minnesota Infantry Eegiment lay at New 
Orleans, one of the visitations described occurred to it (this being a 
very successful one), and thereupon a member of Company E pro- 
posed to a comrade the getting up of something of the kind among 
themselves, to be of home manufacture. Time permitting, ft,he 
work was then commenced, continued in the field, and kept up with 
current events till the order for return home of the command to 
which the company belonged. Serious illness of the compiler, and 
the scattering of the members of the company, prevented the finish- 
ing of the work at the intended time, and caused its indefinite post- 
ponement. 

As a contribution, though humble, to material for some future 
history of the part taken by Minnesota in the war for the Union this 
little book has been completed and published, and the writer would 
be greatly pleased if its appearance should stimulate the necessary 
research for the putting on record in somewhat similar form of the 
histories of other companies of our state regiments. 

ALFRED J. HILL. 

St. Paul, Minn., 1869. 



PART I. 
ORIGIN AND ORGANIZATION— 1802. 

In the spring of 1802 a sixth regiment of infantry bad been 
ealled for from Minnesota by the Governor of the State, but, from 
various causes, the enlistments proceeded very languidly till the 
disasters of the Virginian armies in the summer and the consequent 
proclamations of the President of the United States for volunteers 
gave an immense impulse to recruiting. 

Under such circumstances it was that the "Sigel Guards," after- 
wards Company E of the Sixth Regiment, were projected and 
raised. In the month of June, Mathias Holl, of St. Paul, 
was authorized to recruit for the proposed company; and on the 
23d of July, twenty men having been enlisted, he received a regular 
recruiting commission. Rudolph Schoenemann and Christian Exel, 
of the same city, also engaged in the work in connection with Lieu- 
tenant Holl, themselves enlisting in the company on the 0th and 
14th of August, respectively. Many of the members, however, were 
not obtained particularly by these gentlemen, some having been re- 
cruited for other companies or regiments and transferred involun- 
tarily to the Sigel Guards, others who had purposed enlisting in 
other companies — that never were filled — having joined it of their 
own accord, while a large proportion acted as their own recruiting 
officers, and made it their first choice. The names of those re- 
cruited for, or who intended to join, other organizations, are as fol- 
lows, viz.: (1) Beckendorf, Besecke, Detert, Gropel, Mahle, Mann, 
Metz, J. J. Mueller, Schaefer, Simon, and Temme, were to have be- 
longed to the company projected by Messrs. Klinkenfus, Knauft, 
and Krueger, of Lower Town, St. Paul. They joined in a body. (2) 
Bast, Blesius, Blessner, Dreis, Fandel, Greibler, Hoscheid, and 
Neierburg were enlisted August 15th by Messrs. Julius Gross and 
Lieutenant Kreitz, of St. Paul, for the Tenth Regiment, but were 
transferred to the Sixth. (3) George Paulson, a recruit for L. C. 
Dayton's company (St. Paul) for the Eighth Regiment, was trans- 
ferred to the Sixth. (4) John, Kilian, Kraemer, Meyer. Praxl, and 
Radke came to Fort Snelling from Winona, as recruits for the Sev- 
enth Regiment, but enlisted instead in the Sigel Guards. All the 
recruits were enlisted and sworn in as privates except the drummer, 
the period of enlistment being "for three years unless sooner dis- 
charged." 

The general rendezvous was at Fort Snelling, and, the "mini- 
num" number (83) having been obtained, the company was pro- 
visionally organized there, on the 10th of August, by the enlisted 



8 



HISTORY OF COMPANY E 



men expressing, by vote, their preference for candidates to fill the 
commissioned offices, and by the captain, then chosen, appointing the 
non-commissioned officers. Schoenemann and Holl were thus 
respectively elected captain and second lieutenant of the Sigel 
Guards, and were commissioned as such, on the 19th, by the Gov- 
ernor of the State, and Lieutenant Exel, already commissioned (Au- 
gust 11th), accepted as first lieutenant. 

By the 19th of August the aggregate number of members was 
91; their names, rank, etc., being shown in the following roll: 



NAME 



NATIVE COUNTRY 



When 

Ed listed 

1862 



OFFICERS. 

Captain — 

*Rudolph. Schoenemann . 
Firsr Lieutenant— 

Christian Exel 

Second Lieutenant— 

Mathias Holl 

First Sergeant— 

Justus B. Bell 

Second Sergeant- 
George Huhn 

Third Sergeant — 

^Frederick Scheer 

Fourth Sergeant — 

Ernst J. Knobelsdorff . . . 
Fifth Sergeant— 

*Elias Siebert 

First Corporal — 

*Paul P. Huth 

Second Corporal — 

John Burch 

Third Corporal — 

*Mathias Mueller 

Fourth Corporal — 

* William Rohde 

Fifth Corporal — 

Peter Leitner 

Sixth Corporal — 

Reimhard Stiefel 

Seventh Corporal — 

George Saner 

Eighth Corporal — 

Richard Mueller 

Musician — 

*Charles Seidel 

Privates- 
Bast, William 

Beckendorf, Peter H . . . . 

Becker, Mathias 

Beseeke, Ferdinand 

Blesius, John 

Blessner, Charles 

Bocs. Michael 

Bristle, Christian 

Detert, Henry 

Dreis, Nicholas 

*Eberdt, Charles 

*In military service before 



Prussia . 



Hesse Darmstadt. 
Hesse Darmstadt. 

Ohio 

Bavaria 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Hesse Cassel 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Hesse Cassel 

Bavaria 

Prussia 

Bavaria 

Prussia 

Prussia 



Luxemburg. 
Prussia. 
Prussia. . . . 
Prussia. . . 
Prussia .... 
Luxemburg. 
Bavaria. . . . 

Baden 

Prussia 

Luxemburg. 

Meckleuburi 



Aug. 
Aug. 
July 
Aug. 
Aug. 
July 
July 
Aug. 
June 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 



Aug. 

Aug. 

July 

Aug. 
Aug. 

Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
June 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 



NAME 



Privates — 

Eheim, Joseph 

Fandel, Henry 

♦Ferlein, Joseph 

Fischer, Louis 

Gahoen, Samuel 

*Gantner, Jacob 

Goldner, Joseph 

Griebler, Joseph 

*Gropel, Henry 

Halm, P. Carl.' 

Harrfeldt, August 

Hauck, Jacob 

♦Hellmianifc, Herman. . . . 

Ilenricks. Frederick 

Henricks. Henry 

Hill, Alfred J. .' 

Hill, William A 

Hoscheid. Nicholas 

Jakobi, Conrad 

John. Jacob 

♦Juergens, Louis 

*Kellermann. August. . . 

Kornen, Jacob 

Kilian, Philip 

*Klinghanmier, Louis. . . 
*Kobelitz, Frederick .... 

*Koenig, Louis 

*Kraemer, Frederick. . . . 

*Kruieger, Henry , 

Mahle, William 

Mann, Jacob 

* Martin. Frederick 

Metz. Charles 

Maurer, John J 

Meyer, John H 

Mueckenkausen, Joseph. 
Mueekenhausen. Mathias 

Mueller, John Jacob 

Munson. John 

Neierburg, Michael 

Parks, Thomas M 

*f Paulson, George 

Paulson, Paul 

Teterson. Ole 

Forth. William 

Praxl, Anthony A 

Pa dive. Rudolph 

Rehse, August 
*Reimers. Joachim 
-Renter. Henry 
Rossion. Jean 
Schafer, Henry 
Schauier, August 
Scheibel. Augustin 
Sehene. William 
Schermann, George 



NATIVE COUNTRY 



Austria. . . 
Luxemburg 
Bavaria. . . 



Switzerland 

Canada , 

Switzerland 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Wurtemberg 

Holstein 

Baden 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Prussia 

England 

Virginia 

Luxemburg 

Hesse Darmstadt 

Bremen 

Waldeck 

Prussia 

Switzerland 

Hesse Darmstadt 

Prussia. 

Bremen 

Baden 

Wurteuiberg 

Schleswig 

Wurtemberg 

Wurtemberg 

Prussia 

Hanover 

Prussia 

Ohio , 

Prussia 

Prussia 

Wurtemberg 

Sweden 

Luxemburg 

Pennsylvania .... 

Prussia 

Norway 

Norway 

Prussia 

Austria 

Prussia 

Prussia ! 

Holstein 
1 la noyer 
Belgium 
Canada 
Prussia 
France 
Hanover 
Austria . 



When 

Enlisted 
1862 




Aug. 14 

Aug. 15 

June 2 

Aug. 16 

Aug. 14 

June 10 

July 23 

Aug. 15 

Aug. 14 

July 23 

July 28 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 9 

July 28 

Aug. 5 

Aug. 14 

July 22 

Aug. 15 

July 1 8 

Aug. IS 

Aug. 16 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 14 

Aim-. 18 

July 9 

July 28 

Aug. 12 

Aug. 18 

Aug. 15 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 16 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 13 

Aug. 18 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 14 

June 26 

Aug. 15 

June 13 

July 28 

June 10 

July 28 

Aug. 7 

Aug. 18 

Aug. 18 

Aug. 1 

Aug. 13 

Julv 2:! 

July 31 

Aug. 14 

Aug. 4 

Aug. 15 

Aug. 12 

Aug. 11 



,Tnis young man s real name was Paul Bierstach, the other having been assumed 
to enable him to get sworn in without his parents' consent. 
*In military service before. 



10 



HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 



NAME. 


NATIVE COUNTRY. 


When 

Enlisted 

1862 


Private* — 


Prussia 


Aug. 16 






Aug. 14 






Aug. 14 
Aug. 19 






July 23 


Stengelin Gottfried 




July 16 






Aug. 14 


Willialms August 




Aug. 5 
June 10 


*Wolf Anton. . 


June 2 









*In military service before. 



With the exception of less than half a dozen, all of the above 
were residents of Minnesota, fifty-four being from St. Paul, eight 
from Winona, and the remainder from other parts of the state. 
Twenty-four of the members had been soldiers previously, many of 
them having seen active service — seventeen in Europan armies, one 
in the United States regulars, and six in the United States volun- 
teer forces. Wolf — then a boy of sixteen — enlisted in Bulow's 
Army Corps, fought at Quatre Bias, and was present at the battle 
of Waterloo. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 11 

PART 2. 

SERVICES IN MINNESOTA AGAINST THE SIOUX INDIANS 

— 18G2-G3. 

Immediately after the organization of the company the usual 
recruit life began. Military clothing and equipments were issued, 
squad drill commenced, and light guard duty done in and around the 
fort. The quarters of the company were two rooms on the northern 
side of the parade grounds, with a kitchen and dining room below. 
Fritz Stirneman, a civilian, but an ex-soldier of the First Regiment, 
assisted by Rossion, was hired to do the cooking. 

The monotony of barrack life, however, did not last long. The 
news of the outbreak of the Sioux Indians in the western part of the 
state turned all thoughts from anticipations of Southern campaigns 
to the necessities of the hour. The regiment was put on a war foot- 
ing, orders to march were issued, and arms and accoutrements sup- 
plied to the men; four Sibley tents being allowed for the enlisted 
men of each company. On the 20th of August the first battalion of 
the Sixth Regiment, consisting of three companies, left Fort Snell- 
ing for the scene of the massacre, and, together with Company A, 
which had been ordered to march across the country, arrived at St. 
Peter on the 22nd. All being ready, the second battalion, including 
Company E, embarked on the evening of the 22nd, on the steamboat 
'Wilson for the upper Minnesota River. At the time of embarkation 
the aggregate strength of the company was 94, the number present 
being 84; the absentees being Lieutenant Exel, on recruiting service; 
John, Harrfeldt, Kraemer, Martin, Meyer, Praxl, and Radke, on fur- 
lough; Dreis and Fandel, who had not yet joined; and Porth, left be- 
hind at the fort on account of inability to march. 

On the morning of the 23rd we disembarked at Shakopee, 24 miles 
from the fort. From this day commenced the official organization 
of the regiment, it being the date of Colonel William Crooks' com- 
mission. The route followed was through Jordan, Belle Plaine, and 
Henderson, to St. Peter, where we arrived on the 24th. All the 
companies of the Sixth were now concentrated at this point, where 
an expeditionary force was collecting for the relief of Fort Ridgley, 
then sorely pressed by the Indians. On the 26th the expedition 
commenced the march, and arrived at the fort on the 28th; the regi- 
ment encamping on the prairie near by. 

H. Henricks was appointed wagoner of the company on the 30th. 
Also on that day Louis Thiele, a Prussian settler of the neighbor- 
hood, whose family had been murdered by the Indians, enlisted in 
the company as a private. 



32 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

On the 31st an expedition under the command of Major Joseph 
R. Brown, consisting of the Union Guards (Company A), under Cap- 
tain Grant, and a detail of men from the other companies of the 
Sixth Regiment, and the Cullen Guards under Captain Anderson, 
was dispatched to the Lower Agency to bury the dead, and ascer- 
tain if possible the position of the enemy. 

Early on the morning of September 2nd, rapid firing was heard 
in the direction of the Agency. The scouts reported that the de- 
tachment under Major Brown was attacked and surrounded at 
Birch Coolie, 20 miles from the fort and 3 miles from the Lower 
Agency. A second detachment under Colonel McPhail, consisting 
of the Hickory Guards (Company B), Sigel Guards (Company E), 
Young Men's Guard (Company G), of the Sixth Regiment, under 
Major McLaren, also some cavalry and one howitzer under Captain 
Mark Hendricks, was at once sent forward to their relief. When 
within three miles of the beleaguered force, the demonstrations of 
the Indians became so threatening — coming near enough to shoot 
one of the horses — that the commander of the relieving party, not 
daring to fight his way through, made a halt, had the horses un- 
hitched, and disposed the men to meet the expected attack, but, as 
the enemy did not return any nearer to us, we shortly fell back some 
distance to a better position. Night soon came on and it was spent 
watchfully by the men behind their corralled wagons, the silence 
being broken only by the occasional firing of the howitzer. The 
firing had been heard at the fort and towards morning the little 
force was strengthened by the arrival of the remainder of the Sixth 
Regiment, the Seventh Regiment, which had just arrived at the fort, 
and two pieces of artillery. About daylight on the 3rd, the com- 
bined forces were drawn up in line of battle, ready to move; the In- 
dians soon appeared and commenced the attack, but the return fire 
was so heavy, and evidently so unexpected, that they almost imme- 
diately retreated to the woods in the coolie, from which they 
were driven by the heavy fire delivered by the artillery. The In- 
dians having been repulsed, the whole force continued their march 
to Birch Coolie camp, and the Indians then abandoned the attack of 
the party there, though the soldiers of the first relieving party were 
not allowed the honor of driving them, which was given to the 
Seventh Regiment. After burying the dead and attending to the 
wounded, the troops returned to their camp at Fort Ridgley. 

Five men of the company were with the orignal detachment at 
the battle of Birch Coolie. R. Mueller and Klinghammer were se- 
verely wounded, the fomer in the side and arm, and the latter in 
the leg. They were cared for at the post hospital. Dreis and 
Fandel were there, having accompanied the volunteer cavalry from 
St. Paul; Dreis joined on the 4th and Fandel, being wounded in the 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTKY. 13 

hand, went to the hospital. Thiele, too, was present at this fight. 
About this time Lieutenant Exel with the seven furloughed Winona 
men returned. 

Shortly after this affair the order of the adjutant general of the 
state was received and published, fixing the letters of the companies 
according to the rank of the respective captains. The Sigel Guards 
were the fifth company, and so became E ; in position it was there- 
fore the seventh from the right wing of the regiment, and had, 
when marching during the summer, Company A of the Ninth Regi- 
ment in front, and Company K of the Sixth in the rear. 

While preparations for the campaign were progressing, the 
troops were drilled daily in the "school of the soldier" and "of the 
company;" and, among other things, trenches were dug at the fort, 
and beyond the camps. About the middle of the month Eberdt was 
detailed as regimental pioneer. 

On the 18th of the month the expeditionary force took up the 
line of march from its base at Fort Ridgley. Crossing at the ferry 
near by, the route pursued was on the south side of the Minnesota 
River, fording the Red Wood at the usual place, and touching Wood 
Lakes, about three miles from Yellow Medicine, which was reached 
on the 22nd. On the morning of the 23rd the Indians surprised 
a foraging party half a mile distant from the camp. The Third 
Regiment formed in line, and, crossing a ravine, opened fire on the 
Indians, but immediately received orders to fall back. The Third 
recrossed the ravine, and, the Renville Rangers coming to their 
support, the Indian advance was checked. Captain Hendricks 
placed his artillery in a raking position at the head of the ravine, 
and soon dislodged the enemy. On the right, Colonel Marshall 
with five companies of the Seventh Regiment, and Companies A 
and I of the Sixth under Lieutenant Colonel Averill, charged and 
drove the Indians from their position. On the left, a similar flank 
movement was repelled by Major McLaren with Companies F and 
K of the Sixth, while the remainder of the regiment was held in re- 
serve The action lasted about two hours, at the end of which time, 
the Indians being unable to withstand the murderous fire of shot 
and shell rained upon them, fled with great precipitation, and thus 
ended the battle of Wood Lake. The whole plan of battle seems to 
have been of defense, fought on the old lines of chivalry — man for 
man, instead of bringing all the troops in line of action and dealing 
the enemy a crushing blow at the beginning. This mode of action 
may have been very nice from an Indian's point of view, but the 
men in the reserve who stood in line of battle for nearly two hours, 
and those engaged at the front who were held back and not allowed 
to drive the enemy, would have preferred a little less chivalry and a 
few more dead Indians. 



14 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

On the 25th the line of march was again taken up, and on the 
2Gth Ave arrived at the camp of the "so-called" friendly Indians, 
where were most of the white captives taken during the insur- 
rection, and who in a day or two were delivered up. This place was 
nearly opposite the mouth of the Chippewa River, and near by, 
about a quarter of a mile south of the Minnesota River, was formed 
the camp ever afterwards to be known in local history as Camp Re- 
lease, from this memorable surrender of captives there. 

On the 4th of October, Captain Whitney, with two companies of 
the Sixth and one from the Seventh, was sent below in charge of 
the Indian prisoners to gather the crops in the vicinity of the Yel- 
low Medicine Agency. On the 5th all the company present, 91 in 
number, were mustered into the military service of the United 
States, "for three years from their respective dates of enrollment." 
On the 13th, Colonel Marshall was sent to the westward with a de- 
tachment consisting of Company G of the Sixth Regiment, 100 men 
of the Third, and one howitzer, in quest of the Indians reported to 
be near the headwaters of the Lac qui Parle River and Two Lakes 
(Mde-nonpana) in the Coteaus. The expedition returned on the 
21st, having penetrated the prairies nearly to the James River, and 
having in charge about 150 Indian prisoners, including men, women 
and children. 

By company order of September 22nd, Corporal Huth was pro- 
moted to fifth sergeant, and Privates J. Smith and Martin appointed 
seventh and eighth corporals, respectively. On October 13th war- 
rants bearing the same date w r ere made out and signed by the 
colonel for all the non-commissioned officers, making the grades 
agree with said order, but causing them to take effect from the 18th 
of August. On the 14th Company F left for Yellow Medicine to 
reinforce Captain Whitney. On the night of the 15th, Captain 
Merriman, with Company B and 35 mounted men (including 25 
scouts), made a raid beyond the lower Lac qui Parle, and captured 
23 lodges, in all 67 Indians. On the 18th W. A. Hill rejoined. 
While at Campt Release the duty performed was chiefly guarding 
the Indian prisoners, foraging, and serving on camp guard, — a very 
strict and irksome one. Company drill in the morning and bat- 
talion drill in the afternoon were also required. 

Though within sixty miles of depots of supplies, and though the 
majority of the fighting men of the insurgent Indians had either 
been captured, or had surrendered, or retreated further up the Min- 
nesota river, the rank and file of this small army had here to suffer 
for the want of commissary stores, — truly following the advice 
of the ancient philosopher to leave off eating with yet a little appe- 
tite. Had it not been for the potatoes of the Indian gardens and 
cattle of the slaughtered and fugitive settlers — which provisions, 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 15 

though costing nothing to the government at the time, were made 
to offset the amounts due for non-issued rations, the source of "com- 
pany funds" — we would have been nearly starved. 

The return march was begun on the 23rd of October, on which 
day the weather turned suddenly cold and a high wind rose, which 
blew down many of the tents at Yellow Medicine that night. Ar- 
rived at the Lower Agency on the 25th, and then went into camp 
at Camp Sibley; and remained there till the 8th of November, 
and then resumed the march. The next day the company was 
detailed as guard for the prisoners, two men being assigned to 
each wagon. Though the troops left the village of New Ulni a 
mile or more to the left, yet the citizens, exasperated at the sight 
of the Indians in the wagons guarded by the soldiers, lined the 
road opposite the town in great excitement, hurling stones and en- 
deavoring to get at the Indians, in which they partly succeeded. 
On the 10th we arrived at Blue Earth River bridge, and camped 
a little beyond it, on the townsite of Le Hillier (L'Huillier) and 
immediately south of the isolated bluff at the mouth of the river, — 
the camp being called Camp Lincoln. 

Here Eberdt was relieved. Fischer left on the 15th on furlough, 
from which he never returned; Juergens and Knobelsdorff, sick, 
were sent to the hospital at Mankato the same day. Gaheen, Gant- 
ner, Meyer and Parks had been detailed or detached as regimental 
teamsters during parts of October and November, but by this time 
were all with the company again for duty. 

The regiment marched, by the way of Mankato, to St. Peter, on 
the 17th, having traveled to the latter place, since leaving Fort 
Snelling in August, as a regiment of the expeditionary brigade, 
about 350 miles. The campaign being terminated, the companies 
departed to their various assigned winter stations, — Companies A, 
P>, G, H, and K for Fort Snelling; D for Forest City; E for Hutch- 
inson, McLeod county; and C, F, and I for Glencoe. Lieutenant 
Holl was detailed as quartermaster and commissary for the com- 
pany during its separation from the regiment. 

On the 18th of November we left St. Peter with Companies C, 
D, and F; four miles beyond New Auburn parted with C and F, 
and with D at Hutchinson, where we arrived on the 20th. This 
place was already garrisoned by Company B of the Ninth Regi- 
ment, quartered in good log houses, but there was no accommoda- 
tion for the newly-arrived company, and fatigue parties had at 
once to be set to work cutting and hauling logs for building. The 
season, however, being too far advanced, the work was abandoned, 
permission having been obtained to hire quarters at Kingston in- 
stead. On 1he 24th Dreis died of diphtheria. He was buried in 



16 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

the village burial-grounds near by. Seven men had to be left at 
Hutchinson on departure, — five sick and two as nurses. 

On the 2Sth we left for Kingston, traveling by the way of 
Greenleaf, Round Lake, and Forest City, and reaching destination 
the next day. An old frame store near the mill on the west, bank 
of the Crow River was used for barrack purposes, and by the 
erection of a log kitchen and bake house, with some other improve- 
ments, served the purpose very well. Duties were light, provisions 
good and ample in quantity, and the time passed pleasantly enough. 
A system of furloughs was inaugurated, and every man had the 
privilege of fifteen days' leave of absence. After the departure of 
Fischer, Koenig had to cook alone, and when he went on furlough, 
December 16th, Gantner and Rossion conducted the kitchen in the 
interim. Sergeant Burch left on furlough on the 16th, but being 
detailed in St. Paul at District Headquarters he did not return to 
the company at the expiration of his leave of absence ; also Grieb- 
ler, who did not return to Kingston either. Sergeant Scheer was re- 
duced to the ranks at his own request on the 20th, and on the 
same day Corporal Burch was, by company order, promoted to 
fifth sergeant; also privates Neierburg and Eheim were appointed, 
respectively, seventh and eighth corporals, on the 4th of January, 
1863, to fill vacancies, the enlisted men having shown their pref- 
erences by special election; the same day also Gaheen and Hauck 
were similarly recommended for company cooks, and were detailed 
as such. Juergens rejoined on the 13th. A. J. Hill left for Wash- 
ington, D. G, in obedience to orders from the Headquarters of the 
Army requiring him to report there for duty; same day John left 
on furlough, but, becoming ill, did not return to the company at 
its expiration. Sproesser was detailed as company fifer on Febru- 
ary 1st. Klinghammer rejoined, sick, on the 6th; he having been 
mustered in at Fort Ridgley on the 13th of October. 

The company being ordered to Fort Snelling, where the head- 
quarters of the regiment were, left Kingston on the 27th of Feb- 
ruary, on the arrival of Company H, which relieved it, and traveled, 
in sleighs mostly, by the way of Clear Water and Dayton, reaching 
the fort on the 1st of March. Quarters were assigned it in the 
old barracks, near the sutler's store, and the usual routine of drill 
and guard duty began again. Here Fandel joined, sick, and Grieb- 
ler rejoined. Jakobi was detailed as company bugler on the 22nd, 
and John rejoined on the 29th. Private Kobelitz was on the 1st of 
April honorably discharged, for disability. The regiment went into 
camp on the river, about a mile above the fort, on the 4th, and 
Sibley tents were issued as before. George Paulson left on de- 
tached service for Yellow Medicine on the 12th, afterwards (in 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 17 

June) acting as orderly at regimental headquarters. Williairi Gab- 
bert, a Prussian, resident of St. Paul, enlisted as private in the 
company on the 13th. Privates Griebler and Maurer left on the 
17th on a (forged) pass, but did not return at the proper time, and 
were afterwards found to have deserted. Privates Harrfeldt, W. 
A. Hill, and Meyer were, by District order of the 1st of May, trans- 
ferred to the Third Minnesota Batterv. 



18 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 



PART 3. 
INDIAN CAMPAIGN IN MINNESOTA AND DAKOTA— 1863-64. 

At the end of April, 1863, orders were received to rendezvous 
at Camp Pope on the upper Minnesota River. Fifteen of the men 
had to be left behind at the fort, viz. : J. J. Mueller and Reimers, 
on detached service; and Becker, Fandel, Gantner, John, Keller- 
mann, Knobelsdorff, Koenig, Mann, J. Mueckenhausen, Peterson, 
Schauer, Scheer, and Wolf, sick. On the 28th of April Companies 
E and D embarked on the steamboat Favorite, but could go no 
further by water than to within about three miles of Mankato, 
thence going on foot, arriving at their destination on the 5th of 
May. 

Camp Pope was not an original settlement, but a spot selected 
especially as a base of operations against the Indians; for which 
purpose storehouses had been erected there. It was situated on 
the river about a mile and a quarter above the crossing of the 
Red Wood River. On the reassembling of the regiment the com- 
pany held the same rank (5th) and position (7th) as before, but had 
as neighbors Company G on the right and Company I on the left. 

In the latter part of the month (May) a regimental band was 
formed, and Seidel, Eberdt, and Jakobi were detailed as members 
of it. J. J. Mueller and Reimers rejoined on the 5th. Detert was 
detailed as regimental pioneer on the 15th. The expedition being 
ready, those sick and unable to travel were left behind at Camp 
Pope; of Company E, Hellmann and Paul Paulson remained there. 
The strength of the company present at this time was 68, and ag- 
gregate number 85. 

The second expedition for the chastisement of the Dakotas left 
Camp Pope on the 16th of June, 1863. The 19th and 21st of the 
month were spent in camp. On the 23rd, transportation permit- 
ting, the knapsacks of the men were carried in wagons. The valley 
between Big Stone Lake and Lake Traverse was reached on the 
26th, and a camp established about a mile from the latter on the 
south side of the Minnesota River (there but a rivulet), which camp 
was situated near but outside of the state boundary. The camp 
was called McLaren, and three days were spent there. From here 
a detachment' consisting of three companies of infantry, including 
Company H of the Sixth Regiment, some cavalry, and one piece 
of artillery, all under command of Lieutenant Colonel Averill, was. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 19 

dispatched to Fort Abercrombie for supplies. Klinghammer, un- 
able to march, was sent along to the fort. It may be here noted, as 
a matter of interest to hydrographers, that Lake Traverse was 
not at this time an unbroken sheet of water, as a corporal of Com- 
pany G crossed it on foot near the middle, seeing the lake in two 
parts, to the right and left of him. 

Resumed the march on June 30th, and forded the Sheyenne 
River on the 4th of July, camping a little beyond it at a spot three- 
quarters of a mile northeast of the two mounds called "The Bow- 
shot 1 ' and in the neighborhood of where the fight occurred about 
forty years before between the Pawnees, Shawnees, and Sheyennes, 
which, as I am informed, resulted in the annihilation of the last- 
named tribe. At this place, — named Camp Hayes, — TO miles dis- 
tant from Camp McLaren, the expedition lay six days, awaiting 
the supply train, which arrived on the 9th. Resumed the march 
on the 11th, on which day Lieutenant Exel left on furlough. The 
12th was spent in camp. The second crossing of the Sheyenne was 
made on the 17th. On the 18th arrived at two lakes named Jessie* 
and Leda, 00 miles from Camp Hayes. An entrenched camp was 
established on the banks of the former (the more easterly one of 
these two lakes) which was about three miles long. The camp was 
called Atchison, and a day and one-half were spent there in making 
arrangements for a vigorous pursuit of the Indians. Companies C 
and G of the Sixth were stationed there as a part of the garrison, 
and five of the company were left behind there, viz.: Seidel, Eberdt, 
and Jakobi, as members of the band, and Kraemer and Reuter, 
who were too sick to travel. 

On the 20th, all the arrangements having been completed, the 
expedition began a more rapid advance in pursuit of the enemy, 
and on the 21th of July, 89 miles from Camp Atchison was fought 
the battle of "Big Hills" or "Big Mound." As soon as it was known 
that the Indians were in force, the train was corralled on the 
margin of a small lake, Big Mound being directly to the eastward 
and distant about one and one-quarter miles. The Sixth Regiment 
with one company of Mounted Rangers and a section of artillery 
occupied the east front, and threw up a line of earthworks for pro- 
tection. As soon as the attack began, Colonel Crooks at once 
deployed Companies E, I, and K of the Sixth and A of the Ninth, 
under Major McLaren, as skirmishers, and they pursued the In- 
dians two and one-half miles. Three companies of the Sixth were 
also deployed on the left flank, and the Indians were repulsed at 
that point. Major McLaren with companies A, B, D, I, and K ad- 
Ms camp was located on the W. % of the N. W. i,4 of section 28, and the E. % 
of the N. E. 'i of section 29, township 147 north, of range 60 west, on the northeast 
side of what is now known as :Lake Sibley, and about 11 miles in a direct line to the 
northwest of Coopeirstown, Griggs County, North Dakota.— T. H. L. 



20 HISTOEY OF COMPANY B, 

vanced four miles at a double-quick, having been ordered to sup- 
port the troops already at the front, but on their arrival they were 
ordered to return to camp. 

On the 25th the expedition moved only about five miles to a 
better camping place and remained there on account of the jaded 
horses. On the 20th, with the Sixth Regiment in advance, the 
march was resumed. On arriving at Dead Buffalo Lake, some 15 
miles from the last camp, the Indians again appeared in force and 
commenced an attack. Colonel Crooks immediately deployed a 
part of the Sixth, including Company E, as skirmishers, under 
Lieutenant Colonel Averill, and they advanced steadily, driving the 
enemy as they went; the remainder of the regiment under Major 
McLaren being held in reserve. After an advance of about one 
and one-half miles Major McLaren with five companies of the 
Sixth was ordered to return to the camp ait the lake, three com- 
panies remaining at the front. Desultory firing was kept up until 
about 3 p. m., when the Indians made a final assault, which was 
repulsed in fine style by the troops under command of Major Mc- 
Laren. The Indians, having been defeated at every point, now 
withdrew from the field. 

On the morning of the 27th the advance was again resumed, 
and in the afternoon a camp was formed on Stony Lake. On the 
28th, as the troops were forming in column, the Indians again ap- 
peared and made their last charge. About one mile beyond the 
lake the Sixth Regiment was deployed to skirmish on the right 
of the train, and they repelled the attack of the Indians who threat- 
ened it. The firing continued for a time, the Indians finally mak- 
ing a rapid retreat in the face of the advancing expedition. The 
pursuit was continued until Apple River was reached, where a camp 
was formed for the night. 

On the 29th the army crossed Apple River, continuing the pur- 
suit, and in the afternoon the Missouri River was reached, the regi- 
ment, under the immediate command of Colonel Crooks, skirmish- 
ing nearly two miles through the woods to it. The Indians hav- 
ing crossed to the west bank and hoisted white flags, the battery 
which had been advanced, and was in good position for shelling, 
was moved away, as the policy seemed to be to kill Indians only 
when they made an attack. Many of the skirmishers ventured to 
the river bank and began filling their canteens, when suddenly the 
enemy fired at them from the other side and the men were forced 
back, but not without sending a volley in return. A camp was 
formed on the banks of the Missouri River near the mouth of Apple 
River. The point on the river struck was in about 46° 40' north 
latitude, 600 miles from Fort Snelling by the route followed, 6 
miles above the mouth of Apple River, and 85 miles from the Big 
Mound. "*"" 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 21 

On the 30th Colonel Crooks with Companies A, I, and K and 

details of men from other regiments, proceeded to the Indian 
crossing, and destroyed all the wagons and such other property as 
would be of service to the Indians, and then returned to camp. 

The return, inarch began on the 2nd of August. The 5th and 
9th of the month were spent in camp. Passed to the southward 
of the outward journey, shortening the route some thirty miles, and 
arrived at Camp Atchison on the 10th. Rested on the 11th. 
Reached Sheyenne River on the 13th, and camped three miles be- 
yond it. 

At this last place the nightly entrenching, commenced on de- 
parture from Camp Pope, was abandoned, the impulse of discon- 
tinuance coming from Company E. It had been the custom, both 
in the campaign of 1862 and this, to throw up every evening light 
exterior mounds and ditches for defense, a work necessarily irk- 
some and unpopular with men fatigued with hard marching, and 
in the presence of an enemy (and some times not) they neither 
respected nor feared. The traces of these works, slight as they 
were, will be visible for years, and if properly noted by the sur- 
veyors of the public lands as the surveys extend westward, and 
by future Pacific Railroad parties, will furnish means for exactly 
determining the routes of the two expeditions; certainly as re- 
gards that of 1863, which lay through trackless wastes, over which 
not even an odometer passed with this expedition. It is to be 
regretted that the commanding officer of the expedition, lavish as 
were the expenses attending it, thought fit to negative a proposi- 
tion made to form a quasi-topographical force for its use. Such 
a proposition would have involved no other expense than that of 
a few simple instruments for the use of the surveyor and his as- 
sistants (enlisted men) who might be detailed, and their labors 
would have furnished valuable material for the maps which were 
afterwards ordered to be constructed, besides contributing to the 
interests of geographical science in general. 

The 10th and 18th of August were spent in camp. Reached 
Fort Abercrombie on the 21st and camped on the west side of it; 
distance from Camp Atchison about 115 miles. Remained at the 
fort three days. Here Klinghammer rejoined. Resumed march on 
the 25th. Spent the 30th ^n camp. Arrived at Sauk Centre on 
the 2nd of September, and remained there all the next day. Here 
Rehse was left behind, sick. At this place the expeditionary forces 
were divided, the Sixth Regiment being ordered to Fort Snelling. 
We left Sauk Centre on the 5th; and spent the next day in camp. 
The route was by the way of St. Joseph, St. Cloud, and Anoka, 
and the neighborhood of the fort was reached on the 12th; the 
return route from Apple River being about 510 miW 



22 



HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 



John and Scher rejoined on arrival at the fort, and Seidel, 
Eberdt, and Jakobi were relieved, the band being temporarily sus- 
pended. Corporal Eheim was sent to the hospital on the 18th. 

Companies A, C, E, F, G, and H, being ordered to Fort Ridg- 
ley, left together on September 19th, going by the way of Bloom- 
ington, Shakopee, Jordan, Belle Plaine, and Le Sueur. At the lat- 
ter place Gantner rejoined on the 22nd. Passed through Traverse, 
and came to Fort Ridgley on the 25th. Detert was now relieved. 
Here the destinations of the companies ordered to guard the south- 
western frontier of the state were announced. Of Company E the 
main body (or two-thirds) was to proceed to the station at Lake 
Hanska in Brown county (35 miles off) and the remainder to the 
post of Cottonwood (12 miles), to relieve the troops there in garri- 
son. Accordingly on the 28th the movement took place, the smaller 
force reaching its assigned position the same day, the main body 
taking two days for its journey. While at Lake Hanska, Sergeant 
Bell left for St. Paul, where, on the Oth of November, he was com- 
missioned second lieutenant of the company. 

Company E, having been designated (in lieu of Company F) as 
part of the escort to the train fitting out to convey provisions to 
the Indian bands removed from Minesota to Crow Creek Agency 
or Fort Thompson on the Missouri River, was ordered to rendez- 
vous at New Ulm, which was done on the 29th of October by 
both the detachments. The smaller one had left Big Cottonwood 
on the 25th under orders to garrison Buffalo Creek station (25 
miles northeast of the fort), but immediately on reaching that 
place received the counter order. By the promotion of Sergeant 
Bell to the second lieutenancy, Sergeant Huhn became first or or- 
derly sergeant, according to company order of the 1st of November. 

Left New Ulm on the 3rd of the month, and reached Mankato, 
28 miles distant, the assembling point of the train and escort, the 
next day. Eberdt and Jakobi left on the 1th to report at Fort 
Ridgley, and Lieutenant Holl for St. Paul. Seidel and Sproesser 
left, on the Cth, for Fort Ridgley, Corporal Steifel was sent there 
sick, and Radke was sent to the hospital at Mankato on the same 
day. 

The expedition, with Captain J. C. Whitney in command, started 
on the 7th. The escort consisted of Companies D, E, and H, of 
the Sixth Regiment. The 9th, 10th, and 11th were spent in camp, 
also the 14th at Leavenworth, where the nuts were taken off the 
wagons (said to have been done by the men of Company D who 
felt themselves aggrieved). Sergeant Siebert, sick, left for St. Peter 
on the 15th, and Bast on furlough; from which, falling sick, he did 
not return at the appointed time. Reached Des Moines River, near 
the outlet of Lake Shetek, on the 18th, and there remained in camp 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 23 

all the next day. Here Lieutenant Holl rejoined and commenced 
to act as first lieutenant, having been commissioned as such No- 
vember 7th; the present strength of the company was now 59, and 
aggregate 79. G. Paulson accompanied the expedition, but is not 
reckoned in this number, as he was on detached service at the 
headquarters of the expedition. The route of the train was a few 
miles to the northward of the Red Pipe Stone Quarry, and the P>ig 
Sioux River was reached and crossed — 53 miles from Lake Shetek 
— on the 23rd. Crossed the James River, 00 miles from the Pig 
Sioux, on the 2Sth. Arrived at Fort Thompson, 75 miles further, 
on the 2nd of December, and remained there three days. This fort 
is a stockaded inclosure about 500 feet square, built to include and 
protect the Agency and barracks; it is 95 miles, by river road, 
above Fort Randall, two miles from the Missouri, and about a 
mile from Crow Creek. On the 5th left the fort for return. Re- 
mained in camp on the 14th, twelve miles below Yankton; Corporal 
Leitner was promoted fifth sergeant, and privates Juergens, Ga- 
heen, and Hoscheid appointed to fill the vacant offices of sixth, 
seventh, and eighth corporal. The 17th was also spent in camp 
on account of a terrible snowstorm. Reached the neighborhood of 
Sioux City, Iowa, on the 18th, camping two and one-half miles 
northwest of it. On the 21st the troops again moved; traveling 
by the way of Melbourne, Cherokee, Peterson's, Spirit Lake, and 
Estherville, Iowa, they came to Fairmont, Minnesota, on the 30th. 
Remained in camp the next two days. Passed through Winnebago 
City and arrived at Mankato on the 3rd of January, 1864, when 
Company D left for tlie north. 

This journey of about 750 miles — 315 outward from, and 135 
return to, Mankato — was accomplished in fifty-four days: and be- 
cause of the rigor of the Northwestern winter, and much of it 
through a pathless country, — the command sleeping in tents on 
the snow-covered ground, — the men called it the "Moscow journey." 
The mercury at times stood 30° below zero, and never was above 
the freezing point. 

Companies E and H returned by way of New L'lm to Fort 
Ridgley, 15 miles, on the 7th and 8th of January, having marched 
since leaving the former place in November about 825 miles. The 
only company of the Sixth Regiment at the fort at this time was A. 
Company E was assigned quarters in the stone barracks, on north 
side. The duties were not heavy and the time passed comfortably 
enough for soldiers. Musicians Seidel, Eberdt, Jakobi, and Spro'es- 
ser now rejoined, but no1 for duly, being detailed in the band; also 
Sergeant Steifel and George Paulson. Sergeant Siebert rejoined 
on the 20th. Sergeant Iluhn was detached as acting post hospital 
Steward on the 27/th, being afterwards discharged — ou the 20th of 



24 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

February — to enlist in the same capacity in the regular army. 
Henry Steck, enlisted as private in the regiment on the 3rd of 
February and assigned to the company, joined for duty March 
20th, — native country of recruit, Wurtemberg. Bast rejoined on 
the 10th, and Radke about the 15th. Captain Schoenemann left 
for St. Paul April 4th, and Lieutenant Holl assumed command of 
the company. On the 19th Sergeant Siebert was promoted to first 
sergeant and Corporal Stiefel to fifth sergeant, and privates Radke 
and Gabbert appointed seventh and eighth corporals, respectively; 
but the latter scarcely ever acted as such and was reduced to the 
ranks, at his own request, on the 13th of the following month. 
George Paulson was detailed in the regimental band on the 7th 
of May. 

At the beginning of May a detail of about a dozen men of the 
company, under Sergeant Huth and Corporal Radke, were sent 
from Fort Ridgley to Milford — 12 miles — to relieve the cavalry at 
that post. On the 15th Corporal Smith replaced Corporal Radke 
there. This detachment returned at the end of the month. While 
there the woods of the Big Cottonwood and in the neighborhood 
of Milford were thoroughly scouted, both by parties from Company 
E and from Company G (posted at Fort Wilkin and Madelia), but 
by the former traces only of the Indians were found. 

The Sixth Regiment being ordered to rendezvous at Fort Snell- 
ing, to prepare for their departure to the South, in accordance 
with the order of the War Department of the 26th of May requiring 
it to report at Helena, Arkansas, Companies A, E, and H left Fort 
Ridgley on the 2nd of June. The only member of the company 
left behind there was F. Henricks, sick in hospital. Traveled by 
the way of Henderson, Belle Plaine, and Shakopee, and arrived at 
Fort Snelling on the 7th, and went into camp about a mile above 
the fort — Camp Crooks. 

Between the 8th and 12th the following recruits joined the 
company for duty as privates, viz.: Edward Bryan, a native of 
Ireland, enlisted November 7th, 18G3; Henry Wetterau, native of 
Wisconsin, enlisted February 4th, 1864; Peter Holtzmer, native of 
Luxemburg, enlisted February 5th; Joseph Rachel, enlisted Feb- 
ruary 11th; Michael Knopf, native of New York, enlisted February 
24th; Charles' Foglesang, native of Baden, and William Hilde- 
brandt, native of Hanover, enlisted February 26th; Mathias Frank, 
native of Luxemburg, enlisted February 27th; Stephen Iwan, and 
Francz Troska, natives of Prussian Poland, enlisted February 29th; 
John Lieber, native of Nassau, enlisted June 10th, — and all were 
enlisted for three years. Of these Bryan had been enlisted for the 
company at St. Paul, but having been at once placed on detached 
service did not join his command till this time (the 8th); with him, 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 25 

from the same duly — herding mules at Glencoe — returned Rehse. 
Corporal Gaheen was detailed in the regimental color guard on the 
12th; and on the 14th Captain Schoenemann resumed command, 
and Burch rejoined. 

The sum of the distance traveled by the company from its or- 
ganization to this time was over 2,700 miles. 



26 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 



PART 4. 

SERVICES AT HELENA, ST. LOUIS, AND NEW ORLEANS— 

1864-65. 

On the 14th of June, 1864, the whole regiment left Fort Snelling, 
marched to St. Paul, and embarked on the steamboats Enterprise 
and Hudson, each having two barges in tow for additional accom- 
modation of the men. Arrived at Dunleith, Illinois, on the 17th 
and took the cars to Cairo, which point was reached on the 19th. 
Here wagoner Henricks, sick, was left in the hospital. Embarked 
on the steamer Empress at midnight, and arrived at Helena, Ar- 
kansas, and landed there, on the 23rd. 

By changes in commissions occurring during the spring, the 
company had now become the third in rank and in regimental 
position the fifth from the right, with Company A in front and 
Company I in the rear or left. Its strength at the time of the 
arrival was, present 76, aggregate 84; the absentees being Lieuten- 
ant Bell and A. J. Hill on detached service, the two Henricks and 
Schaner sick, and Scheer, Iwan, and Troska left behind at St. Paul. 

The regiment at once went into camp, on the bank of the river, 
one-half mile above the town. Shelter tents were issued now for 
the first time. The camp was called Camp Buford, and was the 
last one that was officially named. Troska and Iwan rejoined on 
the 24th, and also the next day A. J. Hill from detached service 
at Washington. Detert and Schiebel were detailed as regimental 
pioneers on the 28th and A J. Hill as company clerk in the begin- 
ning of July. 

From the beginning there was a close guard kept around the 
limited area occupied by the regiment, and it was maintained sev- 
eral weeks. The duty required by the District Commandant was 
chiefly prison and picket guard. In the first week of July orders 
were issued to build quarters, and fatigue parties were at once 
set to work cutting, hauling, and sawing logs for that purpose. 
Wagoner Henricks rejoined on the 18th. 

Companies E and F being detailed to proceed to certain points 
with a view of obtaining information of the movements of the 
enemy, the major part embarked, with forty men of the Fifteenth 
Illinois Cavalry, on the evening of the 13th, on the steamboat Dove, 
and proceeded up the Mississippi River, reaching Buck Island (No. 
52) on the next day, and searched it as ordered. Returned to the 
levee at Helena the same night, and lay there. Next day, the 15th, 
went up the St. Francis River, some thirty-five miles, to Alligator 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 27 

Bayou, then returned to Helena and into camp again. The Mis- 
sissippi River part of this trip was under command of Captain 
Schoeneniann, and the other under that of the major of cavalry. 
Xo guerrillas or other enemies were seen. The infantry forces did 
not land, but the cavalry did and sconted between the two rivers. 

Kilian was detached as nurse in the regimental hospital on the 
21st. Lieutenant Bell returned on the 22nd, and with him Scheer. 

On the 26th of July the regiment went out about two miles be- 
yond the picket lines on the Little Rock road to cover the retreat 
of some colored troops and cavalry who had been very severely 
handled that morning at a creek some few miles west of town. 
On the 1st of August it went out again on the same road as before, 
but not quite so far, and remained on picket in the w T oods on the 
right of the road during the night, returning to camp the next 
morning. It was understood that a projected attack by the enemy 
on the defences of the town was the cause of this movement. 
Nothing of the kind, however, took place. 

The heat was now intense, and the sickness increased with 
alarming rapidity. The building of quarters was given up or post- 
poned, and the houses, more or less finished, occupied as well as 
they could be. Company E managed to complete — walls and roof 
— one of the four prescribed barracks, but, being destitute of 
chinking, in a rainstorm it afforded but poor shelter. Being com- 
posed of log and frame houses, board and canvas shanties, the 
camp of the Sixth Regiment presented, by autumn, a melancholy 
variety indeed. 

Bast was detached for provost duty in Helena on the 16th; 
on the 18th Schafer was detached for provost duty, and Praxl as 
nurse in the post hospital on the 19th. J. J. Mueller was detached 
as cook in the regimental hospital (now in town) on the 20th. 

The following men of the company died while at Helena, viz.: 
Jean Rossion on July 25th; Joseph Rachel, July 27th; Louis Wet- 
terau, August 5th; Frederick Schoenheiter on the 10th, Michael 
Boos on the ISth; August Willialms on the 23d, and Henry Reuter 
on the 25th. The latter was the last of the company that died 
at Helena; all seven dying of disease. They were buried with the 
pst of the regimental dead on the summit of a rising ground about 
one-half mile northwest of the camp. Properly marked boards 
were placed at their graves. 

In September the sick men had become so numerous that large 
numbers were sent north. Of Company E there went as follows: 
On the 1st of the month. Bristle was sent to the hospital at Mem- 
phis; Corporal Hoscheid, wagoner llenricks, Foglesang, Met/, 
Mueckenhausen, Rehse, Thiele, and H. Wetterau, sick, were sent 
to the hospital at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., on the 3rd; Sergeants 



28 



HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 



Leitner and Stiefel, Corporals Neierburg, Juergens, and Badke, and 
Ferlein, Gabbert, Hauck, Holziner, John, Kilian, Kraemer, Krue- 
ger, M. Mueller, Munson, Schene, Steck, and Temnie, sick, were also 
sent to Jefferson Barracks hospital, on the 19th. F. Henricks re- 
joined on the 21st, and on the same day Sergeant Rohde was re- 
lieved. 

At about this time the once strong Sixth Regiment had become 
the shadow of its former self, and added little to the effective 
strength of the garrison of the post. It was pitiable to look at the 
companies as they marched to dress parade; very often having but 
half a dozen men in line. 

Gantner was relieved on the 28th; and Bast rejoined on the 1st 
of October. The same day the following recruits, who had enlisted 
as privates for one year in the regiment, joined the company, and 
were two days afterwards assigned to it by regimental order, viz.: 
William S. Adams, native of Minnesota, enlisted August 25th; 
Henry Churchill, native of Vermont, enlisted August 27th; George 
R. Bell, native of Ohio, and Nelson A. Chandler, a native of New 
York, enlisted September 10th; Melchior Steinmann, a native of 
Switzerland, enlisted September 12th. All of the above but Ad- 
ams (a Sioux of mixed blood) were young bojs, and incapable of 
full military duty. 

On the 12th, details of men commenced to build barracks on 
selected regimental grounds located in town, opposite to the church 
used as a Soldiers' Home. No order had been received to go into 
regular winter quarters, but the necessities of the case required 
this course. George Bell was detailed as orderly at regimental 
headquarters on the 21st. Sergeant Stiefel, and Fpglesang and 
Schene rejoined on the 22nd. 

The removal of the company to the log quarters on the east side 
of the above-named ground took place on the 25th. Company E 
was now shifted to the extreme left of the regiment, becoming 
the tenth from the right wing and the second in rank. Company 
I was on the immediate right of it. 

An order from New Orleans requiring the regiment to report 
at St. Louis was received and read on the 3rd of November and 
preparations made at once to comply with the same. Detert, 
Scheibel, Kernen, and J. J. Mueller were relieved the same day and 
Schafer rejoined; also Burch and Praxl (the latter rejoined on the 
2nd) were detached for provost duty in Helena. The two latter, 
with Churchill, sick, were all of the company left behind there. 

On the 4th, the Twenty-Third Wisconsin having arrived to re- 
lieve it. the Sixth Minnesota embarked on the steamboat Thomas 
E. Tutt, truly glad to leave a place so associated with disease, suf- 
fering, and death. The number of the company now on the boat 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 29 

was 54, out of an aggregate of 80. While lying at Memphis, on the 
6th, Bristle, wagoner Henricks, and Ferlein rejoined. 

Arrived at St. Louis on the evening of the 11th, after a tedious 
voyage. Next morning the regiment disembarked and marched 
through the city. Six companies were quartered at Winter Street 
Barracks, E being among them. At this time the military post of 
St. Louis was under the enlightened command of Colonel James 
H. Baker of the Tenth Minnesota, whose regulations for the gov- 
ernment of troops stationed there were liberal and just, and an 
admirable model for the imitation of officers having volunteer sol- 
diers of the Republic under their control. The sojourn in this city 
would have been generally very pleasant had it not been for the 
incessant duty, which, consisting almost exclusively of prison 
guard, was severe, just half of the men's time being taken up by 
it. The weather, too, was very cold for outside posts of sentinels. 

J. J. Mueller was detailed as orderly at company headquarters 
on the 12th, Kernen detached as cook in the regimental hospital 
on the 15th, and Steinmann detailed as company drummer on the 
22nd. The absent members now began rapidly to return. M. 
Mueekenhausen rejoined on the 17th. Sergeant Leitner on the 
21st, Burch, Praxl, Corporal Radke, and Kilian, Kraemer, and 
Temme on the 25th, Churchill on the 26th, M. Mueller on the 27th, 
and Krueger on the 30th. Eberdt was relieved on the 29th. Lieu- 
tenant Bell was dismissed from service by order of the Department 
Commander on the 29th. Knopf left on furlough December 9th, 
but sickness prevented him from returning at its expiration. 

The companies in Winter Street Barracks moved into Schofield 
Barracks No. 2 on the 13th of December; E being quartered in the 
northern quadrangle. Corporal Gaheen was relieved on the 19th, 
and Sergeant Leitner detached as keeper at Gratiot Street Military 
Prison on the 20th. Metz rejoined on the 27th, and Holtzmer on 
the 29th. Lieutenant Bell, having been restored to command by 
order of the President of January 3rd, 1SG5, rejoined on the 10th. 
Kernen rejoined on the 11th. To fill vacancies occasioned by the 
death of Neierburg and reduction of Gabbert, Bast and Beckendorf 
were appointed seventh and eighth corporals on the 12th, and con- 
firmed as such on the 17th. 

Having been ordered to report at New Orleans, La., the regi- 
ment left St. Louis on the 29th of January, and traveled by rail to 
Cairo, where it was put on board the steamboat W. R. Arthur, 
which left the next evening. The boat then had on board over 1,000 
souls in all. Reached New Orleans the Gth of February, and 
marched to quarters in Louisiana Cotton Press No. 1, used as a 
camp of distribution. Lieutenant Holl was detailed as assistant 
regimental quartermaster, and Corporal Gaheen again on color 
guard, on the 7th. 



30 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

The northern soldiers found much to amuse and instruct them 
when they arrived at this southwestern satrapy, for such — from 
its isolated position, its semi-tropical products, its swarthy and 
varied population, strange tongues, manners, and customs, and 
from its form of government — the Military Division of West Mis- 
sissippi might well be termed. They, however, soon discovered the 
difference between New Orleans and St. Louis. The former was 
under the strictest rule of a martinet of the regular army. The 
accidental absence of a pass, even in daytime, or the slightest di- 
vergence from the prescribed dress, whether occurring on or off 
duty, rendered enlisted men subject to ruthless fine or imprison- 
ment, and the other offending articles to confiscation by the provost 
marshal. 

]S T o duty was called for till the 10th, when, for two days, fatigue 
parties were set to work on the military railroad on St. Joseph 
street. On the 13th details for miscellaneous guard duty were fur- 
nished. Corporal Hoscheid and John rejoined on the 12th. Musi- 
cian Chandler was transferred to Company B on the 13th, there 
being more than the regular number of musicians in Company E. 
"Wagoner Henricks was detailed in regimental quartermaster's de- 
pot on the 15th. On the 19th the regiment moved into the bar- 
racks- formerly Terrill's Cotton Press, opposite the southeast cor- 
ner of Annunciation Square, just vacated by the Seventh Vermont. 
Sergeant Kohde was detailed as sergeant of police on the 20th. 
Eberdt and Gropel were detached to guard stores on steamboats, 
under commaud of an ordnance officer, on the 25th. Stengelin, 
sick, was sent to the general hospital on the 20th. 

Towards the end of the month the regiment received orders to 
repair to Chalmette, and to report to the Sixteenth Arnry Corps, 
to which it had been assigned, as soon as relieved by a certain col- 
ored regiment. On the 3rd of March, having been relieved, the 
regiment moved into the square immediately opposite, where, hav- 
ing a few days previously been supplied with shelter tents, a camp 
was established. J. J. Mueller was relieved on the 4th. The 
strength of the company was now as follows: Present, 06; absent, 
11, — aggregate 77. 

By this time it was authoritatively known that the Sixth Regi- 
ment belonged to the Second Brigade of the Second Division, Six- 
teenth Army Corps, Major General A. J. Smith commanding. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 31 



PART 5. 

SERVICES IN ALABAMA; AND CONCLUSION— 18G5> 

The regiment left New Orleans on the 6th of March and pro- 
ceeded along the river six miles to the plain of Chalmette, where 
at a point a little below the old battlefield, and exactly opposite 
the present rebel earthworks, it embarked on the small ocean steam- 
ship Cromwell. Lieutenant Holl and wagoner Henricks did not go 
along with the company. This was a wretched voyage. The men 
were packed as closely as negroes on a slave-ship; the majority 
being unable to get more than sitting room, and no chance to lie 
at full length for sleep. In the afternoon of the 8th the troops were 
landed at Fort Gaines, Alabama, whence they marched to a camp- 
ing ground on the south shore of the island (Dauphin) about two 
miles west of the fort. 

Mahle was detached to serve on brigade provost guard by order 
issued on the 10th; Knopf and Stengelin rejoined on the 13th; 
and Scheibel was detached to serve in the Division Pioneer Com- 
pany, by order issued on the 17th. 

While at Dauphin Island the system of company cooking was 
abandoned, and that of distributing to each man his proportion 
of the rations, for disposal at will, adopted instead. Company 
cooks, consequently, were no longer required. 

Broke camp on the 19th, and embarked at Fort Gaines on a gun- 
boat (tin clad). Lay all night in Navy Cove near Fort Morgan. 
Next day the fleet crossed to Fish River and ascended it several 
miles to Dalney's Mill Landing, on the west side, where the force 
disembarked and went into camp, the Second Brigade being about 
a mile from the river on the south side of a small but rapid creek. 
While at this place breastworks were commenced to the west, but 
soon discontinued. Lieutenant Holl and wagoner Henricks rejoined 
on the 21st, the former having been relieved by the return of the 
regimental quartermaster. 

On the 25th the forward march of the troops began, and eight 
miles were made. The next day the Second Brigade was in front 
and the Sixth Minnesota was detailed for skirmishing, Company 
E being employed to cover the left flank of the brigade while march- 
ing. The enemy's skirmishers hovered in front the whole time and 
an incessant fusillade was kept up. By noon the creek on which 
Cyrul Sibley's house and mills were was reached and crossed, and 



32 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

at about a mile beyond the company was halted, and remained, with 
some other companies, on picket there the whole night The en- 
emy's pickets and ours were often in view of each other and ex- 
changed many shots. Next morning, the 27th, the rest of the regi- 
ment moved up and camped there; and breastworks were thrown 
up and a battery stationed on the right flank. On the 28th the reg- 
iment fell back to the south side of the creek, where the camp of 
the Second Division was entrenched, immediately opposite Sibley's 
house. 

Here there was very little to do or see, but time enough to listen 
to the almost continuous cannonading at the Spanish Fort, which 
however soon ceased to be an object of remark except when, occa- 
sionally, the rush of the enormous shells from the rebel gunboats 
drew every one's attention. A recounoissance on the Blakely road, 
to a point three miles out, was made on the 2nd of April by the 
brigade. Near the place of return two torpedoes were exploded by 
the feet of the horses at the head of the column. On the same day 
Klinghammer, who had been arrested on Dauphin Island, for very 
insubordinate conduct, and subsequently tried by court-martial, 
found guilty, and sentenced to one year's hard labor at a military 
prison, was turned over to the provost marshal, and the company 
saw him no more. 

On the 3rd the division broke camp and moved, by the way of 
Origen Sibley's mills, to the front, near Blakely, on the Tensas 
River, about twelve miles from Mobile, taking position on the left 
of the Thirteenth Corps, which had appeared before the enemy's 
defenses there a few days previously. 

About a mile and a half to the eastward of the rebel works iin- 
mediateh 7 defending the town are some private graves among the 
pine trees, apparently the commencement of a cemetery, but with- 
out fencing or other general improvements. The tomb of one of 
General Marion's men, Godbold, is there; and, immediately to the 
north of it a couple of rods, a local family, the Wilkinsons, have a 
little plot of land, about fifteen paces square, surrounded by a low 
brick wall. 

* 

Here, shortly before sunset on the 3rd of April, the brigade en- 
camped, the Sixth Minnesota being a couple of hundred paces dis- 
tant from the brick graveyard, to the east and southeast of it. The 
troops were told to pitch no tents, light no fires, but lie on their 
arms, keep as quiet as possible, and await further orders. It was 
rumored that the enemy's works were to be stormed that night, but 
Ave were not disturbed. The musicians, however, w T ere called out 
and held subject to the surgeon's orders. Next day, the 4th, tents 
were pitched and the usual camp arrangements recommenced, ex- 
cept that all calls were discontinued lest the sound of the bugles 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 33 

and drums should reach the enemy's ears and guide them in shelling 
our camp. 

While here a large detail was furnished every day by Hie regi- 
ment for duty in the trenches and on the skirmish line. Before sun- 
rise each morning the soldiers filed off through the gloomy ravines 
to their posts in the trenches and pits of the advance, some half a 
mile away, there to lie and exchange shots with the enemy, and 
subject to their shells, till relieved. Fortunately during the week 
spent in this camp not a man of the company was injured, and it 
is understood that but two casualties (slight wounds) occurred in 
the regiment the whole time the siege of Blakely lasted. On two 
or three occasions shells reached the brigade camp, one of which 
cut off a thick pine near to Godbold's grave, but did not injure 
either living or dead. These shots were provoked by men climbing 
the tall pine trees 10 get sight of the enemy's works. The bombard- 
ment of the Spanish Fort on the evening of the 8th was very plainly 
heard. It lasted from 5:30 o'clock to 7, and the reports averaged 
about thirty a minute, by count. 

In the afternoon of the next day tents were struck and the regi- 
ment left camp, knapsacks packed, at 4 o'clock, and moved silently 
through the woods to the line of trenches used by the reserve of 
the picket guard, and there, knapsacks being unslung and with 
other impediments piled together, the men were stationed to await 
orders. Immediately to the right of the Sixth was a battery and 
beyond that another regiment, also posted in reserve; and on the 
left there was nothing. From this position to the enemy's redoubts 
it was about half a mile in a direct course westward, and from the 
advanced skirmish line to the same works some 400 yards. About 
5:15 p. m. the various batteries of the Union forces opened fire upon 
the enemy's lines, but their guns did not reply for about ten min- 
utes, when the cannonading became brisk on both sides, lasting until 
25 minutes to 0; the battery near the regiment sharing in it. Now 
it ceased suddenly on our side, and in its place were heard the ring- 
ing cheers of the soldiers as they rose, in full view of the reserves, 
from their trenches in the front and rushed towards the Confeder- 
ate fortifications. By o'clock the noise of the cannon had ceased 
and a white flag was visible, which told of the enemy's surrender; 
and shortly the Stars and Stripes superseded it. Thus, on the even- 
ing of the 9th of April, 1865, took place the battle of Blakely, which, 
like that of New Orleans in 1815, was fought after the necessity for 
it had passed away. 

The regiment returned to the original cam]) for the night. Next 
morning it crossed the battle grounds and encamped immediately 
within the former hostile earthworks, about a quarter of a mile 
from the village, but remained there only two days, returning on 



34 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

the 12th to the neighborhood of the cerneteiw. Here Ferlein, un- 
able to march, was left behind. 

Without the men having any idea as to where they were going, 
the line of march was taken up on the morning of the 13th of April, 
but a few hours proved that it was neither to Mobile nor to Pen- 
sacola, but to the north, showing that the Sixteenth Corps wa"s on 
one of its characteristic marches again. The strength of the com- 
pany was now : Present, 03 ; aggregate, 76. For over sixty miles 
the route lay through pine forests, with very few clearings; and 
the villages then successively passed were Burnt Corn, Midway, 
Activity, Greenville, and 'Sandy Ridge. No enemy was seen, but, 
on the contrary, when the settled country was reached, every house 
displayed a white flag or cloth, generally with the words "The Union 
< Forever" on it. On the 19th, a few miles south of Midway, the 
official news of the surrender of Lee's army overtook the expedition; 
and at camp on the 24th the rumor of Mr. Lincoln's death, not at 
first believed, met it. For thirteen days, to the 25th, the troops 
marched each day, arriving then at a stream five miles south of 
Montgomery, having traveled a distance of 170 miles, from the cem- 
etery near Blakely. The 26th was spent in camp, to rest and wash. 
On the 27th the troops moved through the city, — the cradle of the 
rebel government,— and encamped beyond it. The camp of the 
brigade was just beyond a swamp on the river road, about two 
miles northeastward of the city. From the 26th to the 30th, as the 
transports had not arrived, the soldiers were supplied by foraging 
parties with cornmeal, supplies of fresh beef, and a little bacon. 
F. Henricks and Knopf, sick, were sent to the hospital in the city, 
May 2nd. Ferlein rejoined on the 8th. 

On the 18th of May the regimental camp was moved about a 
mile further from the river, nearly to the Wetumka road, to get 
higher ground and purer water. Sergeant Leitner rejoined on the 
22nd. Lieutenant Holl left on sick furlough on the 25th. Eberdt 
and Gropel rejoined on the 26th, the former being detailed in the 
band on the 29th. On the 31st Sergeant Steifel was honorably dis- 
charged for disability contracted while in the service. The same 
day a review of the Second Division took place. Private Ferlein 
was konorabty discharged on the 1st of June, his term of service 
having expired. On the same day Mahle and Scheibel rejoined, 
and Huth was sent to the hospital. On the 6th soft bread was is- 
sued for the first time in three months. Jakobi was sent to the hos- 
pital in town on the 13th. Sergeant Huth (in hospital) and pri- 
vates Gantner and Parks were honorably discharged on the 15th, 
their terms of service having expired. On the 25th Krueger was 
sent to the division hospital in town. The same day Schermann 
died of disease. He was buried near the second mile-post on the 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 35 

Wetumka road. On the SOth Corporals Saner and Joseph Smith 
were promoted fourth and fifth sergeants, respectively, and J. Muel- 
ler and Blesius seventh and eighth cprporals,— to take effect on the 
10th of June. Knopf rejoined July 1st. Private Jakobi was hon- 
orably discharged on the 7th for disability contracted while in the 
service; and on the same day the regiment acted as guard at a mili- 
tary execution. Private Schene died of disease on the 8th, and was 
buried in the city cemetery. Musician Seidel was honorably dis- 
charged on the 9th, his term of service having expired. He was the 
last man discharged previous to the general mustering out. On the 
13th the men whose terms of service did not expire before the 
1st of October were transferred to and ordered to join the Fifth 
Regiment; those from Company E being as follows : Brvan Fogle- 
sang Frank, Hildebrandt, Holtzmer, Iwan, Knopf, Lieber, and 
iroska. V\ hile at Montgomery, by change of captains in Company 
D, Company E became the first in rank, its appropriate position in 
regimental line being the first on the right flank, with Company I 
on the left. " 

After much weary waiting the regiment at last received orders 
to proceed to Vicksburg, to be mustered out and. joyfully striking 
tents for the last time, on the 16th embarked on the steamer Co* 
quette for Selma, which place was reached next morning Here 
instead of proceeding at once, the regiment remained three days 
by reason of change of opinions in regard to the recruits iust 
transferred. The order transferring them was revoked, and they 
were returned to their companies to be mustered out with the main 
body. The strength of Company E was now as follows: Present 
56; absent, 6,— aggregate, 62. 

On the 20th, left Selma by railroad. Reached Demopolis in the 
afternoon, and descended the river there, on a steamboat, four miles 
to the continuation of the railroad on the west bank, which place 
was known as McDowell's Landing. Here camped for the night. 
The next day arrived at Meridian, Mississippi, and lay there over 
night, and on the day after, the 22nd, arrived at Pearl' River oppo- 
site Jackson. Owing to the destruction of the bridge over this 
stream, and that of the Big Black, there was a gap of over thirty 
miles in the railroad communication, which had to be traversed the 
best way possible. Most of the men walked, having hired teams 
for their things.. By the 25th nearly all of the regiment had ren- 
dezvoused on the west side of the Big Black River, near the rail- 
road. The next day took cars for Vicksburg. 

The regiment was now, it seems, ordered to report at St. Louis, 
and accordingly, on the evening of the 26th, embarked at Vicksburg 
on the steamboat Missouri for that place. Having arrived at St. 
Louis on the 31st, it received orders to proceed to Fort Snelling, 



3G HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

and on the 1st of August started on the steamboat Brilliant for St. 
Paul. Private W. Smith was found dead in his place on the deck 
on the morning of August 3rd, and his body was left at Burlington, 
Iowa, for interment. On the 7th arrived at St. Paul, where a most 
cordial reception by the citizens was experienced, and after being 
entertained at the eapitol, re-embarked and went to Fort Snelling. 
Here Lieutenant Holl, and F. Henricks, Krueger, Schauer, Simon, 
and some others who had remained at Jackson, rejoined. 

The company was mustered out, with the rest of the regiment, 
on the 19th of August, at the fort. Of the original members there 
were now discharged 47, who had served their full three years. Their 
names were as follows, viz.: Bast, Beckendorf, J. B. Bell, Besecke, 
Blesius, Blessner, Bristle, Burch, Detert, Eberdt, Gaheen; Gold- 
ner, Gropel, Halm, F. Henricks, H. Henricks, A. J. Hill, Holl ; Hos- 
chied, John, Kernen, Kilian, Kraemer, Krueger, Leitner; Mahle; 
Martin, Metz, M. Mueckenhausen, J. J. Mueller, M. Mueller, G. Paul- 
son, Praxl, Radke, Reiniers, Rohde, Sauer, Schafer, Sckeer, Schei- 
bel, Schoenemann, Siebert, Simon, J. Smith, Sproesser, Stengelin, 
and Temme. The recruits discharged numbered 12, and were: G. 
Bell, Bryan, Churchill, Foglesang, Frank, Hildebrandt, Holtzmer, 
Iwan, Knopf, Lieber, Steinmann, and Troska. 



Although the foregoing pages are but a history of one company 
of the Sixth Regiment, yet in general the account of its movements 
applies general^ to all. 

The lot of this regiment, as an organization, w as somewhat pecul- 
iar, and, in respect to military glory, unfortunate. It boasts of no 
hard won victories, laments no disheartening defeats, but it did 
faithfully its assigned duty; and, in so doing, deserved well of the 
Republic. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 37 



PART 6. 
TABLES AND STATISTICS. 

COMPOSITION OF ORIGINAL, COMPANY. 

Nationality: 82 men were of German blood, 4 born in North 
America; 4 of American (U. S.); 4 of Scandinavian; 2 of French; 
1 of Magyar ; and 1 of British. 

Religions: Proportion of Lutheran and Methodist, 25 per cent; 
Roman Catholic, 19 per cent.; Rationalistic, 17 per cent.; and 39 
per cent, were unclassified. 

Occupations: Proportion of farmers, 30 per cent. ; mechanics, 54 
per cent.; professional men, 8 per cent.; and miscellaneous and un- 
known, 8 per cent. 



STATISTICS OF DISEASE. 

Previous to the summer of 1804 the health of the regiment had 
always been very good. At the time of the departure for the South 
the proportion of sick in the whole company was under 5 per cent., 
the cases being mostly of a trivial nature. The following table, com- 
piled from the monthly returns, will show how rapidly the ratio in- 
creased during the sojourn at Helena: 

Whole Number Aggregate Percentage 

Day. of Sick. of Company. of Sick. 

June 30 10 84 12 

July 31 24 S2 30 

August 31 41 78 52 

September 30 46 76 GO 

October 31 30 81 37 

The "daily" and "extra" duty men would swell the last column 
somewhat if their health had been generally reported, but it is not 
customary to enter their names in the "sick" book. Every man of 
the company was sick at one time or another while in the South. 

The poor economy of sending the regiment to Helena, immedi- 
ately from a northern climate at the commencement of the sum- 
mer, and keeping it there so long, is plainly seen in the following 
calculation (and other companies showed a similar state of things 
to Company E): If we take the sum of the "aggregates" of the 
morning reports during each month the produd is the maximum 



38 HISTORY OF COMPANY E, 

number of days' service the government can expect for that period, 
but which, however, it really never gets. By similarly adding to- 
gether the columns of "sick" we have a figure representing loss of 
service, and which should be within reasonable limits. While in 
Minnesota this loss never amounted to 20 per cent, of the whole 
service due, and generally fluctuated between 8 and 17. In a space 
of time equal to and immediately preceding the time spent at 
Helena. — nineteen weeks, — it was as low as 3 per cent.; while there 
it was 43; and for the same length of time immediately after leav- 
ing Helena, it was 23. In March, i860, it was 13; in April, 13; 
in May, 18; and in June, 27. As no morning reports were made 
after the middle of July, the figures for the remainder of the term 
of service cannot be obtained, but undoubtedly they would result 
in at least 30 per cent. 

The number of deaths occurring while in Helena, and traceable 
to disease contracted while at that point and Montgomery, is 13, 
equal to 15 per cent., or nearly one-sixth of the whole company. 



NUMERICAL SUMMARIES. 

MEMBERS. 

Resigned, 1; transferred, 13; discharged previous to expiration 
of service, 16; died, 14; deserted, 2; missing, 1; mustered out at 
expiration of service in June and July, 1865, 5; mustered out in 
corpore August 19th, 1865, 59; in military prison and unknown, 2. 
Total number of members, 113. 

OCCUPATION OF TIME. 

En route, on campaigns and expeditions, 177 days. En route, 
changing stations, 68 days. Stationary, at posts and barracks, 439 
days. Stationary in camp, 412 days. Total, or entire term of serv- 
ice, 3 years. 

DISTANCES TRAVELED, APPROXIMATELY. 

On foot, 2,800 miles ; in wagons, 100 miles ; by steamboat, 4,235 
miles; by railroad, 865 miles. Total, S,000 miles. 

LIMITS AND EXTENT OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED. 

Latitude: From 47° 32', at Lake Jessie. D. T., approximate po- 
sition, to 27°, at the mouth of the Mississippi; being 20° 32' differ- 
ence, equal to 1,416 statute miles, measured on a meridian line. 



SIXTH MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 39 

Longitude: From SO 25', at Montgomery, Ala., to 100° 35', at 
the mouth of Apple River, D. T., approximate position; being 14° 
10' difference, equal to 757 statute miles on the line of middle lati- 
tude. 

Greatest included right line: From Lake Jessie, D. T., approxi- 
mate position, to the mouth of the Mississippi; course S. 21° E., 
distance 1,372 miles. * 

An air line drawn from Montgomery, Alabama, the last station, 
to St. Paul, Minnesota, would be 945 miles in length, course N. N. 
W. The water route to the latter place, via Mississippi Sound and 
Now Orleans, is about 2,350 miles; wbile that actually traveled, via 
Vicksburg, is about 1.585 miles. 



APPENDIX. 



LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA— 1862.* 

BY 
CAPT. CHARLES J. STEES. 

After the memorable release of the captives at Camp Release, 
the scouts were very diligent in searching out and locating the 
numerous small bands of hostile Indians who were scattered 
through the country to the north and west of the camp. Upon 
learning that there were several lodges of Indians to the westward 
in the vicinity of Wild Goose Nest Lake, General Sibley, under 
date of October 13th, 1862, directed Lieutenant Colonel Marshall 
of the Seventh Regiment to take command of an expedition detailed 
to capture any bands to be found along the upper Lac qui Parle 
valley, and, if necessary, to go as far as the western side of the Co- 
teaus, about 45 miles distant. 

October 13th (1862). Cold, windy day. Company G was ordered 
to be ready to move at 12 o'clock, midnight, with six days' rations. 
The men thought they were going below with the prisoners, but 
were disappointed on learning that we were off on an Indian hunt. 
The expedition under Lieutenant Colonel Marshall consisted of 
Company G, of the Sixth Regiment, under command of Captain 
Valentine; 100 men of the Third Regiment — 50 mounted — under 
Lieutenant Swan; Company B, Seventh Regiment, Captain Curtis; 
a mountain howitzer with 8 men under Sergeant O'Shea; Major 
Joseph R. Brown and 4 scouts (Bell, Quinn, and 2 Indians). Left 
Camp Release at 10 p. m. for the Lac qui Parle valley. It was very 
cold traveling, so much so that the water froze in our canteens. 

October 14th. We made a very rapid march during the night, 
and reached the Lac qui Parle River before daybreak, made a 
bridge, using the wagons for the purpose, and all crossed over. 
Soon after passed a deserted bark village. The scouts reported 
that there were Indians ahead with eight ox teams, but there was 
nothing to be seen but the sky and prairie. The Indians, discov- 
ering that they were pursued, now fired the prairie in front of us 
with the evident intention of retarding our movements and to pre- 
vent our horses from having forage. The wind being high, it car- 

*From the journal of Charles J. Stees, late captain of Company G, Sixth Regi- 
ment, Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and formerly major of the Fourth Regiment, 
Third Brigade, First Division, Pennsylvania Infantry. 



LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA. 41 

ried the burnt dirt and ashes along in clouds, living into our eves, 
and they became very painful and bloodshot. Was appointed offi- 
cer of the guard for the night, and, by using three reliefs of 15 
men each, dug six rifle-pits for the protection of the camp. 

October 15th. Aroused the camp at 4 o'clock, struck the tents, 
and was on the march by G a. m. Following up the Lac qui Parle. 
at 10 o'clock we captured four prisoners, — an Indian warrior, a half- 
breed boy, and two squaws. The half-breed was a son of Roubil- 
lard, a Frenchman who lived back of us in St. Paul, in 1851. I 
used to play with him. He speaks French, English, and Sioux, and 
gave us much information about what we were after. A short 
distance beyond we crossed the state line into Dakota Territory. 
William Wallace, E. J. Van Slyke, and I visited one of the line 
posts, which was marked, "26 miles from Big Stone Lake" (located 
about 8 miles north of Gary, South Dakota); and the other three 
sides were marked "Minnesota," "Dakota," and "1859." Wallace 
was on the survey and helped plant the post. In order to celebrate 
the event, each of us, with one foot in Dakota and the other in Min- 
nesota, shook hands together. We were now in sight of Re Wakan 
or Spirits Hill (so named by the Dakota*). Although distant, the 
appearance of the Cotcau des Prairies, as they loom up like a dark 
wall against the clear western sky, is very beautiful. Halted in a 
hollow for a lunch. The scouts returned and reported 19 Indian 
lodges ahead, which made the men feel joyful at the prospect of a 
fight. Marched three miles further and camped for the night in a 
beautiful dell at the headwaters of the Lac qui Parle. One wagon 
and six Indians were brought in. Of those captured up to this time, 
the young men were held as prisoners, and the squaws and children 
were given into the custody of the old men and ordered to report at 
Camp Release, and they faithfully followed the instructions. 

October 16th. During the night wolves were howling in the 
vicinity of the camp. Left camp before daylight and commenced 
ascending the Coteau des Prairies, the highest table-land in this 
section of the United States, and full of lakes. A chain of twenty 
or more lakes could be seen from the highest point, which form the 
headwaters of the Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, and Whetstone 
Rivers, on one side, and furnish many tributary streams to the Big 
Sioux on the west side, — many miles of land and bluffs, prairies, 
and lakes seeming as not ten miles distant. At various points we 
passed through fields of buffalo bones. Arrived at "Two Lakes" 
(Mde-nonpana), where the Indians camped last night and left a sign 
indicating that they had moved to the westward two days previ- 
ously. In order to overtake them. Colonel Marshall took the 
mounted men, howitzer, and the best teams, and pushed ahead, 
leaving the infantry and baggage train, under command of Captain 



42 LIEUT. COL. MAESHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA. 

Valentine, to follow on his trail and camp at the next creek for the 
night, with instructions to continue the forward movement if he 
did not return. Instead of following instructions, Captain Valen- 
tine crossed the creek, and, ascending the next hill, perceived what 
appeared to be a beautiful lake a few miles distant; he continued 
the march, intending to camp there; so we marched and marched, 
but no lake appeared; the men, worn and fatigued, lagged behind, 
some straggling back for five miles, and curses, loud and deep, were 
heard on every hand, — the lake turned out to be a mirage, a sight 
not uncommon in this region. Failing to arrive at the lake, we 
finally camped in the prairie grass, without wood or water; and, 
the rations being short, we went to sleep, supperless, after march- 
ing until 10 o'clock at night. 

October 17th. The morning found us camped on the top of the 
Coteaus with no sign of Colonel Marshall and his men. Struck 
tents before daylight and were on the march without breakfast. 
At about two miles from the last camp we arrived at the Big Sioux 
River (here very narrow, with marshy banks), and halted for break- 
fast ; but there was no feed for the horses. The men of the Third 
Regiment dealt out their last crackers, and Company G had one 
ration of flonr, sugar, and coffee. Flour mixed with water and fried 
in fat was indeed and in truth a great luxury, of which even a white 
plumed knight might well be proud, — at this stage of the game. 
The expedition was now four days' march from Camp Release, and 
the provisions were all gone. The scouts returned and reported 
that they had seen "nothing of Marshall or any other man." We 
again resumed the march, and at sundown arrived at Hawk's Nest 
Lake. Here we met Quinn (the scout), and some mounted men, 
who brought the cheering news of the capture of 150 Indians, in- 
cluding 34 warriors. 

On leaving the main body of the expedition, Colonel Marshall had 
moved forward as rapidly as possible, and soon after midnight on 
the 17th overtook and surrounded the Indians, who, not anticipat- 
ing such an event, were camped down and peacefully enjoying a 
good night's rest. The baying of their dogs was the first intimation 
that they had of the presence of the troops. The scouts informed 
them that they would not be harmed, and demanded their immedi- 
ate surrender, which was complied with. A few of the younger 
men attempted to get away, but were overtaken and all made pris- 
oners. By this capture much stolen property, in the way of goods, 
oxen, horses, and wagons, was recovered. Only one white child 
was found among them. The prisoners (warriors) were brought in 
under guard, their weapons having been taken from them, and they 
were securely tied. Among them was one chief, Wa-ka-mo-no (Wa- 
kan-mane), Spirit Walker, or Walking Spirit. At 10 p. m. William 



LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA. 43 

Quinn and two mounted men were dispatched to Camp Release to 
obtain a reinforcement to meet the expedition with provisions and 
forage. 

In honor of the successful termination of the pursuit and cap- 
ture of the Indians, Colonel Marshall changed the name of Ilawk's 
Nest Lake* to Captive Lake. The lake is very long, winding, and 
deep, and was very high, tiers standing in the water 12 feet from 
the shore. Very singularly it rises and falls without any apparent 
assistance from the rains or snows, as if it had a connection with 
some underground system of streams. 

October ISth. According to the estimates of the scouts and 
others we were about 120 miles from Camp Release and 25 miles 
from James River, or half way between the Big Sioux and the 
James. Left Captive Lake bright and early, and halted on the 
Big Sioux for dinner, at the place where we breakfasted (?) the day 
previous. Took coffee with the Third Regiment. At the request 
of Major Brown, we took his sister-in-law (a squaw by the name of 
Sinle, the wife of Captain James Gorman of the Renville Rangers) 
into our wagon. In order to have a little fun as a side diversion, a 
race with our mules was commenced, the tailor George driving. 
His position was ludricous as he drove over the rough ground, 
shaking the squaw and the old man well. Having gotten some dis- 
tance ahead, we halted at a creek for target practice; and some 
good shots were made. 

Homeward bound, as viewed from a high ridge, the appearance 
of our train was romantic and picturesque. The Indian warriors 
with their mounted guard were in the advance, and then the in- 
fantry with their arms and bayonets shining brightly. The mounted 
men with their Sharps rifles, contrasting with the Spring- 
fields carried by Company G; then comes the "little barker" (the 
mountain howitzer on wheels in a wagon), the gunners riding along- 
side; then our teams laden with camp equipage, tents, kettles, etc., 
Ihe whole cavalcade ending with the Indian camp following in true 
Indian style. Ponies loaded almost to the ground: cows, oxen 
and wagons the same; and squaws loaded as if their backs would 
break. A pretty squaw, with a snow-white blanket around her, 
is perched high on top of a big load on a. little pony; then there are 
other pomes with papooses on their backs, followed by any quan- 
tity of dogs. A simple strap is thrown across the back of a pony, 
ox, or cow, supporting the ends of two poles, while the other ends 
drag on the ground; midway between the ends are perched the 



*This lake Is probably the most eastern one of the two lakes now known as 
Twin Lakes, situated in township IIS north, of range 54 west, in Coddington 
county. South Dakota, as no other lake in this region corresponds with the de- 
scription. Its Dakota name is Chan-nonpa (Two Wood Lake), and that of the 
western one is Tizaptona (Five Lodge Lake). "Wild Goose Nest" (Magaiticage) and 
"Hawk's Nest" (Hecaotii Lakes are "on the Minnesota C'oteaus." and not over 
thirty miles west of the state line.— T. H, L. 



'44 LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S EAID INTO DAKOTA. 

teepee skin, camp traps, etc., and on top of the whole are placed the 
children, who are riding as gaily as if they were on a honeymoon; 
a string of bells around the pony's neck, with the bellowing of the 
cattle, the bright blue sky above, the surrounding hills (some black 
with burnt grass, others green and waving), with the beautiful lakes 
contrasted, — combined to make it one of the strangest, wildest, and 
most beautiful and romantic pictures I ever witnessed. Camped at 
sundown on a creek between two high hills, where a cow was shot, 
— a promise of fresh beef for to-morrow. 

Sunday, October 19th. It was cold sleeping last night: water 
frozen in canteen; but the day was ushered in with the sun shining 
bright. Breaking camp in the valley was a beautiful sight, as 
viewed from the top of the adjoining hill, — fires burning, tents 
taken down, mounted men starting off at a brisk trot. Infantry 
looked lively and cheerful at the prospect of soon greeting their 
comrades at Camp Release, with their good success, prisoners, 
spoils, etc., they march straight up the hill, while the teams and 
"Moccasin Train" wind around the sides to make the ascent more 
easy. Such a scene as here witnessed carries one back to the days 
when he read fancy sketches of such expeditions in novels. With 
a party of friends we were now in advance of the train, and during 
the day shot geese, brant, ducks and snipes. It was indeed a grand 
sight to see thousands of white brant flying between us and the 
burned and blackened hills. Arrived at our old camp "Hollow" at 
the head of the Lac qui Parle at 3 p. m., — one hour in advance of 
the train, — and took advantage of the occasion to cook and feast 
on some of our game. The train arrived, having in charge more 
prisoners, who had been out hunting, and, on returning and finding 
their band all gone, followed our trail and gave themselves up. 

October 20th. More Indians joined us last night; they attempt- 
ed to slip in past the guard, but were caught. Struck tents at day- 
light and resumed the march, crossing the line into Minnesota at 10 
a. m. Met the relief train under Quinn at 11 a. m. After leaving Cap- 
tive Lake, and at a point some 18 miles distant. William Qimni's 
horse gave out, and was abaudoned. He walked all the rest of the way 
to Camp Eelease beside of the other horses, reaching there at 11 
o'clock Saturday night (making good time). He took a short nap, 
started on the return trip Sunday morning, and met the train as 
above stated. He brought the news of the capture of 23 more 
lodges (67 Indians) near the lower Lac qui Parle by Captain Merri- 
man and a detachment of the Sixth Regiment, who took them to 
Camp Release. At 12 o'clock, noon, we arrived at the camping 
place first used on our outward trip. Took dinner with the artil- 
lery. The prairie took fire from Company C's cook-fire, making us 
sktdaddle at a double-quick. The flames spread with fearful rapid- 



LIEUT. COL. MARSHALL'S RAID INTO DAKOTA. 45 

l 

ity, causing consternation and alarm, and inducing the moccasin 
train to move at a lively gait. There was a feeling of real joy when 
all had reached burned ground. Quinn now led us by a new route. 
The prairie was on fire all around us, and at one point we passed 
between two fires. The camp for the night was established on a 
beautiful spot near the bank of the Lac qui Parle River. Was ap- 
pointed officer of the guard. 

During the night there were indications of the prisoners trying 
to escape. C. J. Sudheimer and Peter Molitor were placed as sen- 
tinels on the top of the edge of the plateau, near the camp. The 
wind was blowing at a 30 or 35 mile gait, so they finally took post 
on the more sheltered slope near the top. About 11 p. m. an Indian 
with a halter in his hand appeared and crossed the line some 50 
feet distant, when he was halted by Sudheimer, who, finding that 
he was a prisoner trying to make his escape, promptly arrested him. 
I immediately doubled the guard and had all the prisoners (war- 
riors) searched, which resulted in the finding of a pocket-knife, 
which was duly confiscated. The job of searching them was very 
disagreeable. Ugh! what filth. This task being completed, they 
were securely tied, placed in a Sibley tent, and a double guard sta- 
tioned over them. Visited the Indian camp with George Brown to 
see the sights. Found them in their teepees spread out around the 
fire, which was located in the center. 

October 21st. Broke camp before daybreak, and was on the 
march before sunrise. The day proved to be a horrible one, the 
wind blowing a perfect hurricane; the black dust of the burnt 
prairie filling and blinding our eyes, the lashes on which the dust 
accumulated creating a cutting, grinding pain, causing us to suffer 
much pain. Being near our journey's end, we moved forward as 
fast as it was possible under the circumstances, and arrived at 
Camp Release at 4 p. m., where we joined our comrades, who were 
very glad to see us. But our arrival did not improve matters so 
far as we were concerned, for the camp was a perfect wreck, — ■ 
tents ripped up and chimneys blown down. There was not much 
news at the camp, the most important event during our absence 
having b< en the arrival of the sutler, on which occasion nearly all 
hands got tight, with the result that one colonel, six captains, and 
any quantity of lieutenants were put under arrest. 

With all our forced marches, cold nights, windy days, and fast- 
ing, the trip was a most successful one; for, besides those who vol- 
untarily surrendered themselves, we captured 30 men and 100 women 
and children, not to mention the horses, cattle, wagons, and plunder, 
which were also brought in. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 703 833 9 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





013 703 838 9 * 



peam&life* 



